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how each song on lana del rey& #39;s paradise EP connects to axl rose, a thread.
disclaimer: yes, i know that every song on this EP (for the most part) is not actually about him. but i& #39;m having fun and i think you& #39;ll find that this is actually quite entertaining and thoroughly possible. don& #39;t give me hate or i& #39;ll break kneecaps <333!!!
this is mostly an artistic interpretation of how he could fit into these songs.
and yes, axl and lana were spotted to be "dating" before this album was released, so do with that what you will!
and yes, axl and lana were spotted to be "dating" before this album was released, so do with that what you will!
TRACK ONE: RIDE. to start off the EP, she opens with an insightful track. meaning that, more than anything, this can be applied thematically to axl.
"you can be my full-time baby, hot or cold."
consistently, axl is known for searching for solid love in a atmosphere known —
"you can be my full-time baby, hot or cold."
consistently, axl is known for searching for solid love in a atmosphere known —
for it& #39;s short term, no affection trysts. now, lana is telling the story of something she& #39;s talked about quite often in her career; the feeling off being worn down in her search for fame. yet, as she faces the open road, fights her mental battles, and grows tired of singing that—
same old song, she& #39;s looking for a lover.
"dying young & playing hard, that& #39;s the way my father made his life an art."
this song is about /her/, but the lover she categorizes—one that& #39;s down for slinging around in hazy bars and wasting your life away on debauchery—
"dying young & playing hard, that& #39;s the way my father made his life an art."
this song is about /her/, but the lover she categorizes—one that& #39;s down for slinging around in hazy bars and wasting your life away on debauchery—
describes him fully. axl& #39;s general rocker aesthetic paired with the fact that he& #39;s made it clear that he& #39;s attracted to "ride or die" type relationships, fits her idealization.
so while lana may have been writing about herself, the love she dreams of depicts him flawlessly.
so while lana may have been writing about herself, the love she dreams of depicts him flawlessly.
TRACK TWO: AMERICAN. this is a rock-reference filled song that depicts the overtly american man that makes lana feel wild and free. as the lead singer of the world& #39;s biggest american rock and roll band, axl slides into this imagery fluidly.
"you were way ahead of the trend, get, get it."
though axl was not the first frontman of his kind, he is legendary in his own right. he is known for being extremely charismatic, volatile, and vocal onstage—a style that has been adopted and tweaked by dozens of successors.
though axl was not the first frontman of his kind, he is legendary in his own right. he is known for being extremely charismatic, volatile, and vocal onstage—a style that has been adopted and tweaked by dozens of successors.
axl has always been proud of his american heritage and has very much attested to the fact that he has fulfilled the rags-to-riches american dream. lana sings about this ("be young, be dope, be proud", like an american."), in a romantic way—
and claims that her man& #39;s free spiritedness and classic american feel dazzles her and allows her to feel as though she has experienced the same; as though she has achieved her own american dream.
TRACK THREE: COLA. aside from a set of some of the most shocking opening lyrics (similar to "my michelle", actually), this song does hold substance.
"i& #39;ve got sweet taste for men who are older." he is 23 years her senior and c. 2012, they were spotted together. this lyric fits.
"i& #39;ve got sweet taste for men who are older." he is 23 years her senior and c. 2012, they were spotted together. this lyric fits.
"all he wants to do is party with his pretty baby."
while they were spotted together, they mostly attended concerts, clubs, & parties (as well as spent time in the chateau marmont, a location referenced in some of her other tracks. i.e, off to the races).
while they were spotted together, they mostly attended concerts, clubs, & parties (as well as spent time in the chateau marmont, a location referenced in some of her other tracks. i.e, off to the races).
this song references more american imagery (see track 2 analysis)
as well as "don& #39;t treat me rough, treat me really nice, please."
axl has a reputation for being a particular intense person/lover. (a quality lana repeatedly searches for in men).
as well as "don& #39;t treat me rough, treat me really nice, please."
axl has a reputation for being a particular intense person/lover. (a quality lana repeatedly searches for in men).
TRACK FOUR: BODY ELECTRIC. this track is overflowing with classic american, old hollywood imagery that formed a great basis of the rock n& #39; roll scene that axl and lana both fed from. (elvis, marilyn, etc).
it also details the search for LA opulence that axl achieved in the late—
it also details the search for LA opulence that axl achieved in the late—
80s/early 90s. he very much was the ideal image of a rockstar who had more wealth than he knew what to do with.
"we get down every friday night..." when axl and lana were together, they would often spend fun, public evenings together—partying.
"we get down every friday night..." when axl and lana were together, they would often spend fun, public evenings together—partying.
"and all the photographs say you& #39;re still young." the rockstar that lana first became acquainted with, as well as the rest of the world, was the badass lead singer with an axe to grind. he is immortalized in the photos of his prime era, and despite his growing age—
lana still envisions him to encapsulate the aura and reputation that he fulfilled when those photos were originally taken twenty some years ago.
"i pretend that i& #39;m not hurt, and go about the world like i& #39;m having fun."
she& #39;s saddened that she didn& #39;t get to experience axl/gnr in that time period, but decides that she would take from him what she could.
she& #39;s saddened that she didn& #39;t get to experience axl/gnr in that time period, but decides that she would take from him what she could.
TRACK FIVE: BLUE VELVET. blue velvet is a cover track and sings about a girl. (meaning it cannot be directly about axl). however, it does have a few lyrics that can be entertained with his. this is the weakest link on the album, more of a filler track.
"she wore blue velvet, bluer than velvet were her eyes." (blue velvet). lana herself doesn& #39;t have blue eyes, and yet, she romanticizes this imagery.
"she& #39;s got eyes of the bluest skies." (sweet child o& #39; mine) was a line in the song, which was written about his wife.
"she& #39;s got eyes of the bluest skies." (sweet child o& #39; mine) was a line in the song, which was written about his wife.
"but when she left, gone was the glow of blue velvet."
the same woman that axl wrote sweet child about, he also wrote other, sadder pieces about; such as november rain and estranged—tracks that deal with parting from a lover and sorrowful heartbreak.
the same woman that axl wrote sweet child about, he also wrote other, sadder pieces about; such as november rain and estranged—tracks that deal with parting from a lover and sorrowful heartbreak.
TRACK SIX: GODS AND MONSTERS.
another track laced with classic rock references (jim morrison, anyone?). this song deals with the underbelly of the LA lifestyle, a topic that was tackled in several staple gnr tracks such as it& #39;s so easy, welcome to the jungle, & reckless life.
another track laced with classic rock references (jim morrison, anyone?). this song deals with the underbelly of the LA lifestyle, a topic that was tackled in several staple gnr tracks such as it& #39;s so easy, welcome to the jungle, & reckless life.
lana details the fact that she& #39;s flourishing in this gritty hell of the LA nightlife/the sunset strip. she& #39;s indulging in drugs, sex, and other fast-paced bad decisions; which axl was well acquainted with at the height of his fame.
"you& #39;ve got that medicine i need; fame, liquor, love..." this song also tackles the idea of being scared in a new location, yet finding somebody to soothe the worries. at the time of her tryst with axl, lana was relatively new to the scene—she& #39;d only just put out her first album.
"when you talk it& #39;s like a movie and you& #39;re making me crazy." axl& #39;s dripping from head to toe with the rockstar aura that no longer exists/that no longer existed when lana wrote this song. she& #39;s recalling a bygone era when she characterizes her lover.
TRACK SEVEN: YAYO.
another thematic track, this one describes the fact that lana has fallen for a bad boy. and who better fits the shoes than the lead singer of "the most dangerous band in the world"?
another thematic track, this one describes the fact that lana has fallen for a bad boy. and who better fits the shoes than the lead singer of "the most dangerous band in the world"?
lana spent a large portion of her young adult life in trailer parks, a recurring symbol in her lyrics. trailer parks can be found all throughout the midwest, along with plenty of rundown suburban life (where axl grew up).
"you have to take me right now, from this dark trailer park life now." lana is looking for an escape, one that she later found in the vibrant hollywood life + fame.
the lover that rescued her? a man drenched in "ink, blue" with a motorcycle.
the lover that rescued her? a man drenched in "ink, blue" with a motorcycle.
the pair of them live out a quiet/intimate romance, nonetheless filled with aspirations for greater, something both lana and axl sought for in life.
TRACK EIGHT: BEL AIR.
or, in other words, the track that cemented my theory.
this track features heavy LA imagery, mentions of roses, and a nearly unmissable reference.
or, in other words, the track that cemented my theory.
this track features heavy LA imagery, mentions of roses, and a nearly unmissable reference.
"spotlight, bad baby, you& #39;ve got a flair for the violentest kind of love anywhere out there."
axl is a classic bad boy, but as previously mentioned, he& #39;s also an extremely intense lover. it& #39;s something lana has never shied away from, something that influences her work greatly.
axl is a classic bad boy, but as previously mentioned, he& #39;s also an extremely intense lover. it& #39;s something lana has never shied away from, something that influences her work greatly.
"mon amour, sweet child of mine, you& #39;re divine."
here, lana references guns n roses& #39; most popular track, sweet child o& #39; mine. it& #39;s their most prominent love song + by referring to him as such, she echos the sentiments of said track.
here, lana references guns n roses& #39; most popular track, sweet child o& #39; mine. it& #39;s their most prominent love song + by referring to him as such, she echos the sentiments of said track.
"idol of roses, iconic soul, i know your name."
axl rose is an rock and roll icon. his stage presence, looks, an voice are extremely iconic, all of which have achieved him world renowned fame; fame that lana is aware of and acknowledges.
axl rose is an rock and roll icon. his stage presence, looks, an voice are extremely iconic, all of which have achieved him world renowned fame; fame that lana is aware of and acknowledges.
this one is just for funsies, but "lead me to war with your brilliant direction" stands out to me due to the fact that axl& #39;s initials spell WAR.
this concludes the thread. like i said, with the exception of bel air, it& #39;s obvious that not every song was written explicitly about him. i was simply explaining how i believed he fit perfectly with the man she is singing about throughout. hope this made sense! <3 stream this EP!
